Splinter
by cruxis-wings
Summary: When a seemingly typical venture into the wilderness takes an unexpected turn, Lloyd finds himself desperately regretting the decision to leave behind the Rheaird. Lloyd/Zelos.


**AN:** So, hello, Lloyd/Zelos fans. It's been awhile, huh? ._. I know. I know. But hay, I have a new fic for you. And for those wondering, yes Niveum Fatum is still in the works, just moving _terribly _slow.

Anyway, I present you with my newest series. (Which will hopefully move faster than NF.) Hope you enjoy. Oh, and I suppose I should put a bit of a warning here for the squeamish. There is fairly graphic illness depicted within this, so. READ WITH CAUTION IF YOU ARE WIMPY LIKE THAT-*shot* No, seriously. Just thought I'd mention it. Now. On with the fic~.

* * *

After a long, hard day of traveling through the countryside, nothing could beat relaxing by a fire, taking in the silence of the night. The air cool and crisp, the swaying trees rhythmic and relaxing...

Well. It **should** have been relaxing, anyway. Except for one problem: Zelos Wilder was abnormally quiet. For most, this perhaps could be seen as a plus, but... not to Lloyd. Not hearing that loud, grating whine, those bantering, teasing remarks? There was nothing relaxing about it. The stillness of the camp was all too noticeable, and... more than a little troubling.

_Zelos has been acting off all evening..._ Earlier that day, when they had set off on their newest quest for exspheres, his companion had seemed just fine; whining and groaning over leaving the Rheaird behind. Typical Zelos behavior. Yet... it seemed as the day had faded into evening, his lover's voice had come less and less frequently, his eyes distracted, distant.

Not that Lloyd could get the guy to talk about it. That would be too easy, right? No. He'd simply gotten the typical _Zelos_ assurances when he questioned the man.

_-"I'm fine, hunny~. Stop being such a worrywart."-_

It was becoming more apparent as the night went on that the redhead was definitely not '_fine_,' despite his claims. The man hadn't touched his supper, heck had barely even moved since sitting himself down by the fire. The more Lloyd studied that attractive face, the more convinced he was growing that something was off.

He looked... Well. He really didn't look so great. His eyes were unfocused, his pink lips set in a soft frown. Lloyd wasn't sure of the exact cause, but something was definitely wrong, and he was tired of waiting for the angel to open up.

So maybe it was time to nag the guy again.

Lloyd released a loud sigh, breaking into the stillness of the camp. ... Not that Zelos seemed to even notice. The brunet raised an eyebrow at this, the frown on his lips deepening. "Zelos, come on. Snap out of it," he firmly stated, making sure his voice was loud enough to be clearly heard over the crackling of their campfire.

His companion started, giving a few blinks of his murky blue eyes before slowly drawing his focus to the younger swordsman. "You say something, hunny?" the redhead hesitantly inquired, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

That faint voice and those hazy eyes did nothing to relieve Lloyd's concern for his partner—quite the opposite, in fact. The brunet scooted himself directly next to the Tethe'allan Chosen, his focus carefully set on his companion. "Zel. What's going on, huh?" he carefully inquired, unable to fully mask the unease he felt from entering his boyish voice. "You're not looking so great, you know."

"Yeah?" Zelos feebly responded, his focus slowly drifting away from Lloyd, moving back to the flickering fire. "Guess I'm just... tired," the man murmured after a short pause, giving a few slow blinks of his eyes.

The brunet tilted his head a bit, carefully examining that face he held so dear. He saw no real sign that the angel was outright lying, anyway. And after spending over a year with the guy, learning to read his every expression? Lloyd was damn skilled in detecting even the smallest signs of dishonesty from the frustratingly secretive redhead.

Yet this time? There was nothing, nothing but clouded, unfocused blue eyes.

Lloyd's frown only deepened at this.

He knew how to react when Zelos' inner turmoil got the better of him, when the young swordsman was plagued with memories and pain from the past. Not that he liked it, but at least he knew what to say, knew what to do. Yet this seemed different. Zelos' eyes were clouded, his focus distant and... Wait. Now that he thought about it... in the dim light of the fire he had failed to notice before, but...

Lloyd hastily moved to pull off a red glove, casting the heavy fabric aside. He then gently touched his companion's forehead. _...Why didn't I notice sooner?_

Zelos was absolutely burning up.

"Damn. Zelos... why didn't you tell me, huh?" he softly inquired, moving to gently caress that moist, warm forehead.

The slender redhead gave a slow blink of his eyes at the boy's question, a perplexed frown overtaking his pink lips. "Hm?" he sounded, that single utterance sounding decidedly off.

Lloyd gave a blink of his own eyes at this. "Zelos, you're burning up. You've got a fever. You didn't notice?" he uncertainly remarked, continuing to gently caress that warm face; moving to stroke his companion's flushed cheek.

Zelos' frown deepened a bit, and he gave another lethargic blink of his murky blue eyes. "I... I thought it was sort of cold, actually. Is it not?" The Tethe'allan Chosen's words were slow, hesitant, almost as if he were having trouble voicing his thoughts. "Don't... feel hot," he added, casting a questioning look to his younger companion.

"... Yeah. I think you're sick, Zel," Lloyd stated, his words matter-of-fact. He cast the redhead a small, rueful smile, continuing to gently caress that hot cheek. "I'm pretty stupid for not noticing earlier. You weren't being nearly annoying enough," he gently teased, his words soft. Despite his banter however, Lloyd was feeling rather uneasy over his lover's demeanor. Sure, being sick wasn't so unusual in itself—though it _was_ pretty damn rare for Zelos to grow ill—but... Not even noticing his own symptoms? That was sort of troubling.

Also troubling was his lover's lack of response to his attempt at playful banter. Zelos' only response at all was to gently press against Lloyd's hand, his eyelids slipping closed. Zelos Wilder, not even **attempting** to banter? Yeah, that was downright scary. _He must feel really bad..._ Lloyd moved to carefully take Zelos' hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze. "Anything hurt, Zel?" he questioned, his voice sympathetic. Being sick was no fun, after all.

Zelos slowly opened his eyes at his partner's question, his unfocused gaze drawing to Lloyd. He paused before replying, as if in thought. "I... Not sure. Sorta... everything's sort of... strange," he finally remarked, his words sounding a little uncertain. "Don't know what's wrong. Guess I'm being a pain, right?" he added, his voice low, distant.

"You're _always_ a pain. Don't start apologizing now," Lloyd gently quipped, though he couldn't quite mask the concern he felt from bleeding into his voice. Zelos' response had been horribly ambiguous, and... Well. Disconcerting. _Everything's 'strange?' What does 'strange' mean?_ he thought, his brown gaze carefully set on that pink-tinted face.

"Heh, guess you have a point," Zelos murmured, and a faint smile briefly appeared on his lips. It faltered quickly however, and the angel took in a shaking, uneven breath. "Really... feel sort of weird," he softly confessed, and he slowly moved forward, leaning his forehead against Lloyd's shoulder.

The teen felt his insides twist with concern at that feeble confession, a troubled frown quickly appearing on his boyish face. He carefully moved to wrap an arm around Zelos' lean frame, drawing the man into a gentle embrace. "I can tell," he quietly stated, carefully massaging Zelos' back in a slow, soothing manner.

"Well... at least it's quiet for once... right?" the redhead mumbled, his weak voice muffled by Lloyd's shoulder.

"That's one way to look at it," Lloyd gently retorted, his voice dry. He... he was **really** regretting his earlier decision to leave behind the Rheaird right about now. Zelos' feeble voice and limp posture was actually pretty frightening. Maybe Lloyd was just overreacting—Zelos was probably just coming down with a cold—but... It scared him. More than he would like to admit. Seeing Zelos so obviously weak? Unable to hide it? Yeah. That was definitely scary.

"Why don't I set up a sleeping mat, Zel. You should rest," Lloyd gently murmured into the man's ear, continuing to rub his back in a soothing motion.

"... Will you lay with me?" came Zelos' hesitant response, his voice fatigued, weak.

"Sure. Of course," Lloyd quickly assured the man, giving a blink of his eyes at that unsure tint to his partner's request. Again, it... It sent a wave of unease filtering through his lanky frame. For Zelos to be so quiet and unsure, to let go of his mask so completely? Yeah, he felt bad. _Really_ bad.

"Here, sit up for a sec, and I'll get a mat ready. Then you can get some sleep, okay?" Lloyd gently remarked, brushing a gloveless hand through long, silky strands of Zelos' hair. "You'll feel better if you rest."

The redhead gave a slight nod of his head as his only response. Lloyd released a soft sigh, and he carefully moved to help his companion back into a full sitting position. Zelos wobbled a little, but managed to stay somewhat upright—though his eyes remained tightly closed.

"Hey. Noishe. You here? Come sit with Zelos for a minute, would you?" Lloyd stated in a louder voice, staring off into the darkness beyond their campfire for his trusted pet. At the moment, he wasn't so sure Zelos could stay in an upright position on his own for very long, judging by his wobbling frame. He... Well. Zelos was starting to look worse at a pretty rapid rate. "Noishe? Come here, boy."

It took the _dog_ a moment, but he appeared at the edge of the lit area, his dark eyes keenly set on the two humans.

"There you are. It's not like you to be away from the fire," he stated with an eyebrow raised. "Zelos isn't feeling so good, Noishe. Why don't you come here, huh?" Lloyd then requested, casting his pet a small, strained smile.

The animal complied, trotting over and sitting directly beside the ailing redhead, his dark gaze set on the young man. He released a small, yelping bark, nudging against Zelos in a gentle manner.

The feverish Chosen slowly cracked open an eye, casting a weak smirk to Noishe. "Hey there, mutt. You're not actually worried about... the great... nn..." He attempted banter for the first time that night, but his words trailed, and he closed his eye, a grimace appearing on his damp face.

Lloyd gently touched the redhead's arm, his troubled expression returning full-force. "What hurts?" he inquired, his focus carefully set on the young man.

"... My stomach... and my chest. Not so bad, just... starting to feel a little weird," Zelos slowly replied, his eyelids closing tighter, his head lowering.

Lloyd frowned at this revelation, but he wasn't surprised. With a fever like that? More symptoms were bound to emerge at one point or another. _I... I just hope he doesn't get too bad off._ So far out from civilization? Yeah. Not a great place to get sick.

The teen shoved these less than pleasant thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand: setting up a comfortable place for Zelos to rest. So with another gentle touch to his lover's cheek, the boy stood, his focus drawing to their traveling packs resting on the opposite side of the campfire. If he spread out both of their mats on top of one another, it would create a bit more support for Zelos, right? With this thought in mind, he moved to their packs, making quick work of retrieving the sleeping mats.

He spread one, then the other, smoothing them down to prevent uncomfortable rumples in the thick, cushioned fabric. Lloyd then moved to pull out two blankets, spreading one over the combined mats, leaving the other for Zelos to lay under. All that was left was to retrieve a small, travel-sized pillow, and it was done. It wasn't a bed—but it would have to do.

It had only taken a few moments, but it still seemed too long to the boy, too long leaving Zelos in his current condition—even if it was overprotective of him. The brunet turned his focus back to his companion, noting his slumped posture, the look of discomfort on his increasingly flushed face. Okay, maybe not so overprotective. The guy was starting to look _really_ bad.

"Hey, Zelos. You ready to rest? I've got it set up for you. It's not exactly an Altamiran suite, but..." the boy quietly teased, his words a little strained. It was hard to make jokes when Zelos wasn't even able to sit up straight without aid.

"...Y-yeah. Thanks, hunny," the angel murmured, not even raising his head—or opening his eyes for that matter. If anything, he seemed to lean in on himself further, his breaths a little shallow.

_Damn it._ Lloyd's concerned frown quickly returned at this sight, and he moved to crouch directly next to his partner. "Hey, Zel. You're gonna feel better soon, okay? Let me help you up," he softly stated, brushing bare fingers through errant strands of hair partially concealing Zelos' pink face.

Noishe issued a soft, whimpering noise, his dark eyes moving to Lloyd, then Zelos, then back to Lloyd again—as if he were trying to convey something. Not that Lloyd was sure exactly what the _dog_ was trying to tell him, but. Obviously, his pet was distressed over something.

"You're worried too, right? It's okay, Noishe. We're gonna take care of Zelos and get him feeling better," he assured the animal, casting his beloved pet a small smile.

Noishe merely whimpered again in response. Obviously he wasn't convinced.

Lloyd cast the animal a rueful smile, then turned his focus back to his ill partner. "Come on, Zel. Let's get you comfortable," he gently remarked, and he moved to take a sweaty hand into his own. "I'm going to help you up now, alright?"

"I, uh..." Zelos began, but his words trailed, and he sucked in a shaking breath. "Wait," he murmured, his head lowering more so, his shoulders shaking a bit.

"Zelos?" Lloyd inquired uneasily, giving the man's hand a gentle squeeze.

"I... think... think I'm gonna..." the man mumbled, his breaths coming in increasingly sharp, uneven bursts. He didn't finish his sentence, a muffled gag escaping his pink lips. He jerked his hand away from Lloyd, leaning away from the boy as another gag—this one louder, painful sounding—escaped him.

"Damn," Lloyd muttered, quickly moving to hold back the angel's red hair away from his face, watching with a deep frown as Zelos' shoulders heaved.

His lover was sick. Very.

Zelos retched again and again, vomit forced from his lips, dripping to the ground. His body shook at the force of his violent gags, and Lloyd gently used his free hand to steady the man the best he could. "It's okay, Zel. It's okay," he whispered, his voice uneven. He could do nothing, nothing but sit by and watch as his partner gagged, spitting out mouthfuls of vomit. It was... Sitting by helplessly was the worst feeling imaginable to Lloyd Irving.

But helpless he was. So he did the only thing he knew to do: whisper soft reassurances until Zelos' vomiting spell finally ceased. "It's okay. It's okay."

"Ngh. D-damn... haa..." Zelos finally mumbled, taking in a shallow, unsteady breath. His voice was hoarse and rough, and his body shook, despite the fact that his gags had eased. "... Sorry about... that. T-totally gross, right?" The angel slowly pulled himself up a bit, enough to cast his lover a shaking, pained smile.

"Just a little, yeah," Lloyd softly teased in response, though he couldn't manage a smile. The unfocused, watery look to Zelos' eyes was far too disconcerting; as was the vomit staining his lips and chin. "You feel any better?" the brunet uncertainly inquired, reaching out to gently touch Zelos' flushed cheek in a consoling manner. _... He doesn't look better, that's for sure..._ He was pretty sure the guy's troubles were only beginning.

"Not really," Zelos faintly mumbled, and he pressed into Lloyd's hand a bit.

"Yeah. I didn't think so."

"Why ask then? Bumpkin..."

Even with vomit staining his lips and sweat glistening on his forehead, the redhead managed another soft, teasing smile for Lloyd. That... It made Lloyd's chest tighten. Painfully so. "I'm gonna get you cleaned up a little, then you're laying down," he softly stated, carefully caressing the man's hot, damp cheek. "I'll be right back. Noishe'll take care of you until then," he weakly joked, his focus briefly moving to the _dog_ still sitting directly beside the ill redhead.

Noishe brushed against Zelos, releasing a soft whimper.

"See? He said he's gonna take care of you."

"Heh. Thanks... Noishe."

_Man, he really sounds bad._ Lloyd couldn't help but release an uneven sigh at just how weak and distant Zelos' voice sounded.

"Just caught a bug or something, hunny," the redhead murmured, obviously noting that concerned sigh. He weakly raised his head, opening his watery eyes and meeting the brunet's worried gaze. "Stop... being such a worrywart, huh?" he gently teased, yet his words were slurred, slow.

_Yeah. Nothing to worry about there._ Lloyd's eyebrows furrowed, but he gave a weak nod of his head. "I'll be back in a sec." He turned, making his way back to their packs for the second time that night—this time to retrieve a canteen of water and a cloth. He quickly found the items, then briskly moved back to his partner.

The teen removed the cap from the canteen, then poured a healthy amount of water onto the clean cloth held in his hand. After thoroughly wetting the cloth, he replaced the cap on their water, then turned his focus back to Zelos' stained face.

"Here, Zel. Let's get this gunk off of you." With this said, he carefully dabbed at his lover's lips and chin, cleaning away the discolored patches of drying liquid staining his skin. After a moment, the vomit was wiped away, and he absentmindedly set the cloth beside him. "There. The Great Zelos looks a little less pukey now," he gently teased, and he again moved to stroke the angel's flushed cheek in a consoling manner. "All girlish and pretty again."

"I sorta... doubt that..." Zelos mumbled, his frail voice holding a rueful tenor. "T-thanks, Lloyd. Really," he whispered after a short pause, his eyelids drooping.

"Don't thank me, stupid. I... I just want you to feel better," Lloyd gently retorted, his voice soft, despite the 'insult.' He moved his hand away from the man's cheek, cautiously touching Zelos' back instead. "You think you could take a sip or two of water?" he questioned, soothingly massaging that tense back in a slow, circular motion.

"I... don't think so," the man weakly admitted, releasing a soft, pained sound. "My stomach really hurts," he went on to confess, his voice shaky.

Lloyd frowned at this, but he gave a nod of his head, continuing to gently caress his companion's tense back. "Want to rinse your mouth out at least?"

"Y-yeah." Zelos slowly pulled himself up a bit, opening his watery eyes.

The brunet gave another nod of his head at this, and he moved his hand away from Zelos, retrieving the canteen sitting beside him. He removed the lid, then held the container out to the angel. "Here. Use as much as you need. I've got a couple more in my bag."

Zelos wordlessly accepted the canteen, taking hold of the container with shaking hands. He weakly tipped the canteen to his lips, taking in a bit of water, rinsing his mouth. He then spit out the mouthful of water to the already stained ground. "Ugh... That's... really... gross."

"Finished?" Lloyd inquired, his voice sympathetic.

"Yeah." Zelos lowered his head once more, a violent shudder traversing his slender frame.

"Okay. Let's get you more comfortable," Lloyd gently stated, taking the canteen, replacing the lid. He cast it aside for the moment, his focus set solely on the ailing redhead. "Here, let's take it slow. If... If you feel sick again, just let me know, okay?" he inquired, carefully taking hold of Zelos' moist hand.

Zelos gave a faint nod of his head, followed by a pained wince. It seemed he didn't have the energy left for much else.

After that nasty vomiting spell? Lloyd wasn't surprised. At all. _I just hope his stomach doesn't get worse off than it already is..._ The brunet shuddered a bit at this thought. _Way to think positive._

He forced away his troubled contemplations, refocusing on his current task. He needed to get Zelos up and over to the bed he'd made for the ill angel, and do it as smooth and painlessly as possible for the Tethe'allan Chosen.

Lloyd carefully took a hold of his companion's sweaty hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. He then carefully stood, helping the redhead into a standing position as well. Zelos wobbled, stumbling against Lloyd almost immediately after standing. Lloyd frowned at this, noting the way his partner's legs were shaking. He was going to need help keeping upright, that much was obvious.

"Here, Zel. Lean against me, okay?" he gently requested, and he released his hold on the man's hand, moving instead to wrap an arm about his slender waist. He pulled Zelos close, allowing the redhead to weakly wrap an arm about his shoulder. "There. That's better, right?" he then inquired, casting his lover a small, strained smile.

Zelos gave a slow nod, taking in a few shaking, uneven breaths.

"You... You okay?" It seemed a pretty stupid question to ask in the current situation, yet Lloyd wanted to be sure that his companion was ready to move. He... he didn't want to push the man.

The feverish young swordsman gave another faint nod of his head, though Lloyd could clearly make out the increasingly queasy expression on Zelos' pink face. Pretty obvious the guy was anything but 'okay.'

_Man, he really looks like crap._ Lloyd took in a shaking breath of his own at this thought, but he cast his partner another small smile. "Alright then. Just use me to keep your balance, okay?" With this said, he took a slow step, then another, carefully watching Zelos with each step taken.

The Tethe'allan Chosen stumbled a bit, but managed to follow along with Lloyd, leaning heavily against the shorter teen to keep balance. It took a few moments to get the weakened young man to the opposite side of the fire—to that makeshift bed Lloyd had crafted—and to the concerned brunet, the time it took seemed to stretch on. They eventually reached their destination however, and Lloyd released a small, relieved sigh. It wasn't much, but at least he could get Zelos lying down.

"Alright, Zelos. Sit down here," Lloyd stated, carefully directing Zelos towards the middle of the doubled sleeping mats. "I'm gonna help you get situated, okay?"

"Y-yeah," came the redhead's feeble response, his unfocused gaze drifting to the 'bed' at his feet. He then gave a noticeably loud swallow, a grimace appearing on his damp face. He did as requested, however, allowing Lloyd to help him into a sitting position on the thick mat. Once seated, Zelos released another shaking breath, his eyelids drooping. "Thanks, hunny."

"I already said to stop thanking me, dummy," Lloyd retorted, leveling his companion a mock disapproving frown... not that it was very effective, considering Zelos was leaning in on himself, his eyelids only half open. Yeah, not very effective at all. Instead, the teen released a sigh, then moved to gently place a hand on Zelos' lowered head. "It's okay, Zelos. I don't mind helping you out, you know that. It's... It's what partners do," he softly stated, allowing a more somber, gentle sound to enter his voice. Sure, it was mushy and sort of embarrassing, but still... As bad as Zelos was feeling? He deserved a little extra attention. Maybe more than a 'little.'

Zelos weakly moved to place a hand on Lloyd's arm in response to those soft words, and he slowly raised his head, casting the boy a weak—though entirely genuine smile. Lloyd could tell, after all. That... Zelos' real smile? Even when flushed and ill, his _real_ smile was... It was so beautiful.

Lloyd returned that warm smile with one of his own, and he moved to take hold of the redhead's hand, giving it a careful squeeze. "So does that mean you're going to shut up and let me take care of you?" he gently teased, raising his free hand to give a soft, playful tap to the tip of Zelos' nose.

"Me... shut up? I dunno, Lloyd. That's... sort of a big request," Zelos weakly countered, his voice hoarse and shaking—yet still managing to convey a tint of affection. "I guess... I'll give it a shot though, for my 'partner' and... all," he added, his words slow and slurred, though his faint smile remained.

"Yeah, well. I think you can handle it. Probably," Lloyd dryly retorted, brushing his hand across that warm, moist cheek. He... He felt his own face warming a bit at that genuine smile on his lover's pale lips. He... Zelos was amazing.

... Though now wasn't the time to get lost in Zelos' smile. Zelos was sick—really sick—and needed his attention. So with a shake of his head, the teen pulled his hand away from that flushed face, his eyes drawing down to the redhead's clothing. "I'm gonna take some of this off for you. Hard to sleep in shoes and gloves," he remarked, his tenor thoughtful.

"I can... probably manage that, hunny," Zelos wryly responded, a soft laugh escaping him. That laugh was short and soft, and it quickly trailed into a shaking sigh. "... Or, actually. On second thought," the redhead murmured, his head lowering, a pained frown replacing that soft smile. "Nn-n."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Lloyd deadpanned, a brown eyebrow raising at his partner. _He can barely manage to keep upright. I really doubt he's got the energy to even get his shoes off..._

The Sylvarant teen was pulled from this less than happy thought by the feel of something brushing against him, and he pulled his focus down. Noishe now stood directly beside him, his eyes locked on their ailing companion. Noishe was pretty worried—Lloyd could tell just by the animal's intent expression. "Zelos is just being stubborn, isn't he, Noishe? Tell him to be quiet and let Doctor Lloyd and his trusty Nurse Noishe take care of him," the boy quipped, directing a soft, playful smile to the _dog_.

Noishe gave a low-pitched whine in reply. Lloyd was pretty sure this meant the animal was agreeing with him.

"Doctor... Lloyd and... Nurse Noishe, huh? You sure that's... not the other way around? You look more like a nurse to me, Lloyd," Zelos slowly bantered in reply, again weakly raising his head to cast the brunet a soft, wavering smile.

"... What the heck is _that_ supposed to mean?" Lloyd feigned a look of irritation, furrowing his eyebrows at the redhead. In reality, he was grateful to see that soft smile and hear those bantering words. It was comforting. Yet... On closer inspection of that weak smile, he couldn't shake the feeling that Zelos was pushing himself too much, all just to ease his worry.

"Heh, not a thing, hunny. Not a-nn..." Zelos began, but his slurred words trailed, and he lowered his head, taking in a few shallow breaths. "Ngh, goddess," he mumbled, his expression tensing along with his lean frame.

It would seem Lloyd had been right. He was pushing himself. Another disapproving frown formed on the boy's lips at this—only this time, it was totally genuine. "Zelos..." he started, yet found his words quickly drifting into silence. He wasn't going to reprimand the guy, not when he looked so... so bad.

Instead, the brunet crouched down next to his ill lover, cautiously stroking strands of hair away from his flushed face. "Zel?" he gently inquired, a soft, concerned frown once again appearing on his lips.

"Just hurts. S-sorry," the redhead whispered, his eyes tightly closed. He leaned against Lloyd's hand, his body lightly shuddering.

"Don't apologize, stupid," the teen gently replied, wrapping an arm lightly about Zelos' tense back. "You still feel like throwing up?" he inquired, carefully placing his free hand on the man's arm. He began to gently massage that arm in a slow, gentle motion.

"Y-yeah. Trying not to, but..." Zelos mumbled, resting against Lloyd with a shuddering breath. "Feeling really funky," he confessed, his voice shaking.

Lloyd wasn't surprised by the man's words, but all the same, it sent a shiver through him. He nodded his head however, continuing to gently rub Zelos' arm. "I'm going to get something for you to throw up in, then. Just in case. Then we'll get you comfortable, and I'll lay with you, okay?"

"Okay..." the ill redhead slurred, his head lowering even more so.

"Just. Sit here with Nur-... **Doctor** Noishe for a sec," the boy dryly stated, a faint smirk briefly forming on his lips, despite the nagging worry eating at his thoughts.

"...H-heh. Okay, Nurse Lloyd," came Zelos' soft response, his voice warm and affectionate, despite the unsteadiness to his words.

Lloyd gave another small smile at this, brushing the man's cheek once more. He then stood, his eyes drawing to their packs for the third time that evening.

Any sort of bowl or container would do, really. With this in mind, the boy made quick work of moving to the packs, digging through them. After a moment he pulled out a medium sized bowl, meant for cooking. It would do.

The brunet carried the bowl back to the bedding set up a few feet away, his focus immediately drawing to his ill companion's sweaty face. He was pretty sure the guy's fever was slowly but steadily getting worse. This was hardly good news.

"Alright, makeshift puke bucket here. So. Now let's get you laying down," the teen dryly remarked, forcing a lighter tint to his voice—only somewhat successfully. Yeah... Zelos was better at faking things like that. Lloyd was worried; hiding it wasn't so easy. _I know I'm just being stupid, but I..._ He wasn't used to seeing Zelos look so frail. Emotional turmoil, sure. But this was... this was something he had far less experience with. It was unnerving.

"P-puke bucket, huh. That sounds sort of gross, Lloyd," Zelos weakly joked, pulling Lloyd from his troubled contemplations.

Lloyd raised an eyebrow at the man, forcing another small, strained smile. "Well. It _is_ gross, Zel," he pointedly remarked.

"... Heh, this... is true." The redhead's mumbled words were soft, barely even decipherable. He released a shaking groan, his eyelids closing even tighter.

Noishe let out a long, low whine at this.

"Doctor Noishe says it's time for you to be quiet now, Zelos," Lloyd gently teased, though his words came out far more solemn than he had intended. He... Time for joking was over for the moment.

He didn't wait for a response from the ill young man—it didn't seem Zelos was up to giving one at the moment anyway—moving to sit directly next to his companion. He placed the bowl on the grassy ground in front of Zelos, then carefully touched the man's arm. "Right there if you need it, Zel."

Zelos' only reply was a faint groan. Lloyd hadn't particularly expected that much even. He gave another gentle touch to the Tethe'allan Chosen's arm, then pulled away. He needed to get the man comfortable—or as comfortable as he could be in his ill state.

He started with Zelos' shoes, carefully pulling off one, then the other, setting them aside. He peeled off his gloves next, folding the fabric, then setting them aside as well. Next was the dress—duster his partner was so fond of. "Let's get this off, okay?" he gently stated, moving to undo the front of the duster.

Zelos weakly raised himself into a full sitting position, allowing Lloyd better access to the duster's front, making it easier to remove. "There. That's better," the brunet mumbled, carefully removing it, setting it with the rest of Zelos' clothing.

Now all that was left was the headband, and he'd be all set.

Lloyd gently pulled the band away from Zelos' moist forehead, removing it from his hair with little difficulty. Once removed, he cast a glance to the stretchy fabric in his hands, a thoughtful expression forming on his boyish face. _Maybe I should..._ If he used the band to pull the man's hair back into a low, loose ponytail, it would be out of his face, with little risk of getting vomit in it if his nausea overcame him again. _Plus I'll have both hands that way, so I can..._ Well. There wasn't much he could do, was there? Maybe rub Zelos' back at least? _Man, this... this really sucks._

He moved to pull Zelos' hair back, brushing through it in a gentle manner. "It'll be out of your face this way," he softly explained, wrapping the band about the bottom end of the man's wavy hair. It was loose and a little sloppy, but would serve its purpose. After all, Lloyd didn't want it too tight, just enough to hold it away from that sweaty, pink-tinted face.

"All set, right?" the young brunet remarked, glancing down his companion's lean frame. It looked much more comfortable, anyway. _Oh..._ "You want your pants on or off?" he gently inquired.

Zelos sat in silence for a moment, as if in thought. He eventually gave a small shake of his head. "Could you just... loosen my belt a little? Sorta cold..." he mumbled, his head seeming to dip even further forward.

"Sure. Of course," Lloyd stated with a soft, reassuring tone, then gently moved to loosen the belt around Zelos' waist. There. _Now_ he was set. "That okay, Zel?"

"Yeah. That's... a lot better. Thanks, hunny." Zelos paused, then gave a soft, rueful smile. "I know, I know. No thanking you, right?" he weakly inquired, opening his eyes to meet Lloyd's gaze.

Lloyd smiled a little at this as well. "I guess I'll let it slide this time," he said with a feigned sigh, shrugging his shoulders. "Just this once."

Zelos released a short, faint laugh, though really it sounded more like a groan. He weakly scooted closer to Lloyd, leaning his hot forehead against the boy's shoulder. "...Nn, Lloyd..." he murmured, a harsh shudder traversing his thin frame.

"'m right here, Zelos," Lloyd gently replied, wrapping an arm about his lover's back. He gave the man a cautious hug, then placed a soft, chaste kiss to his flushed cheek. "Lay down, Zel. I'll be with you in a sec. Let me take some of this off first," he added after a short pause, his focus moving down to his own clothing. He had a feeling it would be a long night, so... Best to get comfortable now.

"O-okay," was Zelos' only response, his body continuing to shudder against Lloyd's light embrace.

... Okay, so he probably should help the guy. He didn't even seem to have the energy to pull his head away from Lloyd's shoulder.

The brunet carefully gripped the young man's arms, helping him into a sitting position. "Here, Zel. Lay back," he instructed, guiding Zelos' shaking frame to the makeshift bed. He helped the man shift into a lying position on his side before pulling away. "There you go."

Zelos merely groaned in response, his body curling up in a semi-fetal position. He... Lloyd couldn't help but simply stare at that pained expression for a few moments, his lips turned down in a deep frown. Zelos looked so... so pitiful.

The quicker he could lie with the ailing man, the better.

Lloyd stood from the bed, his focus finally pulling away from his ill lover. Instead, he focused on removing his boots, then his sole glove—the other cast aside earlier—and finally his thick dwarven over-shirt. He haphazardly tossed these items to the ground, unconcerned over being tidy at this point. Well. Not that he **ever** was, but still.

Satisfied with being stripped down to his pants and black undershirt, the teen directed his focus back to Zelos—noting that Noishe had moved to Zelos' head, curled protectively around the top of the mat. The _dog_ was intently focused on the redhead, his ears alert. It was... Lloyd wasn't sure if he should be amused by his pet's concern, or... worried. _He's just... being a worrywart... dog. Yeah._

Shoving his uneasy notions to the back of his thoughts, the young man moved to sit next to the ailing redhead, placing a hand on his quivering back. "Hey there," he murmured, watching Zelos' shudders with a frown. "You real cold, Zel?" he softly inquired, carefully massaging that tight, shivering back.

"...Yeah. R-really cold, but... sorta hot at... the same time, haha. Feels weird," Zelos haltingly mumbled between short, uneven breaths, his voice holding a decidedly pained tenor.

Lloyd's frown only deepened at this. Should he cover his companion with the blanket? He didn't want to overheat the man, but at the same time, if Zelos got too cold, it would increase the shivers, which in turn could increase the fever.

In the end, he decided to bring the blanket halfway up Zelos' frame, not covering the man all the way. He then promptly laid next to his lover, propping himself up on an elbow so he could still clearly see him. He carefully wrapped an arm about Zelos' waist, pulling the man's back against his chest. "That okay?" he gently whispered, lowering himself close to Zelos' moist face.

"B-better, yeah." Zelos gave a weak nod, his eyelids slowly opening, his unfocused blue gaze moving to Lloyd. "Heh... I'd... hug you, but... I don't wanna get sick on you," he weakly added, his eyelids drifting closed again.

"Don't worry about it," Lloyd firmly retorted, giving a shake of his head. "You can turn around and lay against me if you want. I don't care," he assured the man. It... it didn't matter. Sure, getting thrown up on wasn't the greatest thought and all, but... If it meant making Zelos feel better? He'd risk it.

A shivering frown formed on the Tethe'allan Chosen's pale lips, a thoughtful expression on his red face. He eventually shook his head a bit however. "N-no. Just... Just lay close, huh?" he feebly inquired, his voice meek and uncertain.

Lloyd's chest tightened a little at the tenor of his partner's voice. "Okay," he whispered, his own voice a little uneven. He gently laid himself closer to the frail redhead, resting his cheek against Zelos'. "I'm right here, Zelos," he soothed, carefully moving to place his hand on the Chosen's stomach, softly rubbing that tense, shuddering muscle. "That feel okay, or am I making it worse?"

"...No, it helps..." Zelos replied, his breaths shallow and uneven.

"Try to take some slow breaths, Zelos. You're breathing too fast," Lloyd gently instructed, watching the man's chest quickly rise and fall. He... He felt a painful twinge of worry at this. "Slow and deep," he encouraged, continuing to carefully massage Zelos' stomach in a slow, circular motion.

"I... know, I just... hurts..." The redhead's words slurred, ending in a soft whimpering sound. "...Lloyd..." he weakly whispered, his body tensing against the brunet, his expression increasingly ill.

"It's okay. It's okay, Zelos. I'm right here," Lloyd softly stated, moving his face away from Zelos' long enough to place another gentle kiss on the man's feverish cheek. He then moved to rest his cheek against Zelos' once more. "It's okay."

"Hah... nn... S-sure you... want to do that? What if I'm contagious? Maybe you... shouldn't be layin' with me, now that I think about it..." Zelos hesitantly remarked in response to that chaste kiss, his eyelids twitching and his voice holding a tinge of melancholy. "Don't want to get you sick, h-hunny."

"I'll get over it," the brunet dryly retorted, his voice holding a dismissive tone. Right now, that was the very last thing on his mind. "Besides. If I do, you can play nurse for me, right? Fair trade?" he added after a moment of silence, forcing a tint of humor into his boyish voice. _As long as you feel better, then... I..._

"N-nurse? The... Great... Zelos? You've gotta be kidding, right?" the Tethe'allan Chosen bantered through rapid, uneven breaths, a faint smile briefly forming on his lips.

"I don't know, Zel. I think you'd look sort of cute in a nurse outfit. You've got the girlish figure for it," Lloyd teased, pressing his cheek against Zelos' a bit more firmly in an affectionate gesture.

"Heh... didn't k-know you were into... that kind of stuff, h-hunny. My bumpkin... into such perverted things?" the ill young man murmured, that weak smile again appearing for a few moments, before fading back into a shivering frown. "We'll... have to... try it out sometime... what do you think?" The man managed to open his eyes at this, turning his head enough to cast the brunet a wink.

Lloyd raised an eyebrow, his face warming a bit at Zelos' suggestive words. ... Not that he was a hundred percent sure of exactly **what** the man was suggesting, but. He was pretty sure it was something perverted. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Zelos. Isn't it time for you to be quiet?" Despite his bantering words, he pulled back again to cast the man a warm, gentle smile.

"Heh... guess... so, huh?" Zelos replied, his eyes unfocused, his lips shivering, and... Were his teeth chattering? Lloyd's frown immediately reemerged at this realization.

"Close your eyes, Zel. Try to relax," he soothingly whispered, carefully watching that pink, pain-tinted face. "Breathe and relax. Deep, slow breaths."

"... Lloyd... Love you," Zelos whispered, his eyelids closing.

"I love you, too. Now do what I say. Breathe," the brunet gently replied, his focus drawn again to that heaving chest. Zelos was breathing way too fast. _Damn it, why... Why didn't I bring the Rheaird?_ He would _really_ like to take the ailing young man to a doctor. Unfortunately, this was impossible. The only option at all would be to put the man on Noishe, but that... He really didn't think a long trek like that would be a great idea. Zelos was way too sick.

No, there was nothing he could do at the moment, other than keep Zelos company, and attempt to ease his discomfort. Which... easier said than done.

"Just breathe, Zel. Slow down," he firmly repeated his instructions to the ill redhead, massaging his stomach, holding him close. Anything to ease that pained look and those short, uneven breaths.

Zelos gave a feeble nod of his head, a look of concentration appearing on his moist face. He took in a slow breath, obviously attempting to follow Lloyd's instructions. Unfortunately, this didn't last, and the man's breaths quickened, his expression frustrated. "I... I can't... I—nnn," he mumbled, a grimace cutting off his breathless words.

"Zelos?" Lloyd pulled away from the man's cheek, his brown gaze intently set on his face. He... he looked bad. Really bad. His lips were pale, his teeth chattering, his skin moist and pink. "It's okay. Just keep trying," he instructed, unable to fully mask the uncertainty he felt from entering his voice.

"Lloyd... I think I'm gonna be sick," Zelos haltingly whimpered, his voice shaking.

Lloyd's heart-rate increased at those pained words, and he quickly sat up, helping his partner do the same. "Hold on, hold on just a sec," he stuttered, reaching over and grasping the bowl beside of Zelos. "Here. Here, Zelos," he then stated, directing his lover to the container he held directly in front of the man.

"Nn—ngh-" Zelos let out a loud gag, and he lowered his head over the bowl, vomit flowing from his lips, dripping into the container. He weakly grasped at the edges of the bowl, his hands shaking rather violently.

Lloyd wasn't sure that the ailing redhead could hold it himself, his hands were trembling so harshly. So he kept a hand on the container as well, moving his free hand to Zelos' quaking back. "I'm sorry, Zelos. I know it's awful, but it'll be over soon. Just let it out," he whispered, his voice uneven. It was hard to stay calm, watching his most important person suffer so much, and being unable to do a damned thing to ease it.

The Tethe'allan Chosen's body gave another violent shake, a fresh mouthful of vomit forced from his lips. He spit, then spit again, releasing a pained groan. He took in a shaking breath, and his exhalation came just as sharply.

"You finished?" Lloyd cautiously inquired, all the while stroking the man's back and shoulders in what he hoped was a soothing manner.

The redhead's only response was a feeble shake of his head. He took in a few more gasping breaths before another harsh retch escaped his stained lips. He had little left in his stomach by this point however, only a bit of bile dripping from his lips. He gagged again, producing nothing. His body continued that violent shaking, and Zelos dry heaved again and again, his eyes leaking tears.

It was... Well. It was terrifying to Lloyd. Those violent gags produced nothing, but it seemed Zelos was unable to stop, regardless. "It's okay. It's okay, Zelos," he whispered, his hand shaking a little as he continued to caress the ill Chosen's back. _What... what the hell is wrong with him? Should he be this sick over a stomach bug?_ Sure, Lloyd could remember having his share of nasty bugs over the years, but... The severity of Zelos' symptoms was still scaring the hell out of him. Had he ever heard such utterly violent retches? He was pretty damn sure he hadn't. This was frightening in itself.

"Ha... Ha..." Zelos' breaths came in short, gasping bursts, and with one final harsh retch, his gags ceased. He let out a groan, spitting into the bowl once more. "D-damn," he moaned, his watery eyes tightly closing.

"Zelos..." Lloyd began, but found his voice trailing. He was at a momentary loss for what to say. He gave a blink of his eyes, forcing himself to focus. It was a terrible bug, but it would pass. He just... Zelos would just have to ride it out, as unpleasant of a thought as this was. "Zelos, you think you're finished now?" he inquired, moving to gently take hold of the man's stained chin, directing his face upward to get a better look. _Damn it._ His skin was so flushed and moist.

"Don't... think there's anything left... to puke, hunny," Zelos haltingly stated, his voice harsh, terribly hoarse. He slowly opened his watering eyes, a few tears streaking down his already damp cheeks.

Lloyd's heart skipped a beat at those tears leaking down his ill lover's pink face. He moved to gently wipe away a few tears, his lips set in a deep, troubled frown. He wasn't sure how to respond, what to say to his ailing companion. "You... You want me to get the water? I forgot to get it earlier," he finally murmured, a soft, apologetic tint to his boyish voice. He continued to gently stroke that heated cheek, doing his best not to stare at the vomit staining Zelos' shivering lips.

"I... It... D-damn, that hurts..." Zelos whispered, his eyelids closing once more. He leaned forward, pressing his hot face against Lloyd's shoulder.

With a shuddering sigh, Lloyd set aside the soiled bowl, freeing up both hands so he could gently hold the redhead. He wrapped his arms about the shuddering man, holding him close. "What hurts, Zelos? Just your stomach?" he whispered into Zelos' ear, soothingly running his hands along his shoulders and back in a slow, careful motion.

"...N-no. Everything... my whole body..." the young man practically whimpered, his voice frail and crackling. "... My chest and... head... Everything... hurts..." he added, his voice muffled as he pressed his forehead against Lloyd's shoulder a little more firmly.

"Okay. Okay, Zel. It's gonna be okay," Lloyd murmured in response, holding the man in a deep embrace. He was pretty sure he was getting vomit stains on his shirt, and there was a chance Zelos could throw up on him at that firm hold—not that he really had anything left in his stomach, anyway—but... Honestly, at the moment? Lloyd couldn't possibly care less. No, what he cared about was the fact that Zelos was softly crying into his shoulder, his body shivering in a harsh, violent manner.

"It's okay. It's okay, Zelos," he whispered again, continuing to massage the man's back and shoulders. It was almost a mantra, meant not only to calm Zelos—but calm himself as well. _I don't know why, but I just..._ He just had a nagging bad feeling. It was growing hard to ignore.

The boy gave a sigh, his focus briefly pulling from his partner, noting Noishe was again directly next to Zelos, that concerned look on his furry face. Noishe... Noishe was acting strange, wasn't he? He looked really upset. This only served to increase that bad feeling in the pit of Lloyd's stomach.

After a few more moments of soft, silent sobs, Zelos' body relaxed against Lloyd, yet his breaths were still shuddering and sharp. "... S-sorry... about that. Don't know what's wrong with me. Acting like... a baby, huh?" the man weakly murmured, his voice so very meek.

"Don't apologize! Zelos, you're... you're really sick. It's okay," Lloyd quickly retorted, his voice firm. "Don't apologize for something so stupid," he went on to gently state. That uncertain voice and those tears soaking his shoulder scared him almost as much as the man's symptoms.

Noishe let out a low, yelping sound, almost as if concurring with the brunet. The animal cautiously moved closer to the ailing redhead, gently rubbing his head against Zelos' arm. He whined once more: a low, whimpering sound.

"...It's... okay, Noishe... I'm okay..." Zelos softly murmured, his words barely decipherable over his chattering teeth and shuddering breaths. He slowly pulled back from Lloyd's embrace, his body wobbling a little, yet he managed to sit fully upright. With a shaking breath, the young man wiped at the tears staining his cheeks, obviously attempting to compose himself. "I'm... I'm okay..." he repeated—and really, Lloyd had to wonder who his partner was trying to convince: Noishe, or himself.

"No. You're really not," Lloyd dryly retorted, forcing a small smile onto his lips. It was a difficult task. Smiling when faced with the man's teary eyes and vomit stained lips? Not so easy. "You're going to be, though. You just... You're just really sick right now. But it'll pass soon enough," he added, his voice taking on a more serious, consoling tint once more. "But until then, you just need to try to relax, Zel." With this said, he scooted a little closer to the young man, wrapping an arm about his waist, drawing him back into a gentle hug.

"Y-yeah," Zelos whispered, his tense body resting against Lloyd, his shaking arms wrapping about the boy's lean frame. "L-love you," he mumbled for the second time that night, his voice uneven, his breaths still coming far too fast.

"I... I love you too, Zelos. You know that," Lloyd gently stated, practically pulling the ill man into his lap, holding him like a child. "It's okay. You're gonna feel better soon. I promise," he whispered, lightly resting his cheek against the top of the ill Chosen's head. "It's okay."

Noishe issued a long, low whine, and he moved closer, laying his head against Zelos' upper leg. He yelped once, then twice more, pressing against the redhead in an almost protective manner. Again, Lloyd wasn't sure if he should find the animal's actions sweet or scary. _Noishe is just a sweet dog, he... He'd be like this even if Zelos just had a little cold or something. Yeah._

"H-heh. You two... are... babying me too much, you know that?" Zelos haltingly mumbled, pressing his forehead firmly against Lloyd's shoulder. "But... I have to say I... I'm glad. Makes me... A real wimp t-though, doesn't it?" he inquired after a moment of silence, a faint, weak laugh escaping him.

"Yeah, well. I don't know about that. I think I'd be acting like a 'wimp' too if I felt this bad," Lloyd admitted, his voice a little wry. "Besides. You're a fancy noble guy. You're not used to being sick and miserable out in the middle of nowhere, right?" the teen softly teased, soothingly stroking the man's back.

"Heh... Guess you have a point. Haven't... Felt this bad since..." the redhead began, though his words trailed, a halfhearted, decidedly fake laugh escaping him. "Ye-yeah. Haven't... felt this gross for a long time."

It took a moment for the man's words to fully register to Lloyd, for him to understand exactly why he had cut himself off, why he had forced that fake laugh. And then it dawned on him. _'Since...' Zelos._ That was... That was a time when Lloyd hadn't known the _real_ Zelos Wilder, hadn't noticed how much pain he was quietly suffering through, how... How he was suffering through the angel transformation. _I was so damn stupid back then. I didn't notice. How could I not?_ Zelos... Zelos had proved to be a much better actor than Colette, even. So much so, that not once had Lloyd realized what was taking place.

Hell, he hadn't even known that the man _was_ an angel for over half a year after their initial journey's completion. He still felt guilt over that. A lot of guilt.

Lloyd released a soft sigh, and he gently pulled his companion back, enough to clearly take in his damp, pink face. "This time is different. You don't have to suffer alone this time, Zelos," he quietly stated, his brown eyes intently set on the Chosen, on his ill face and shivering lips. "You're not going to be alone ever again. You got that?" he then inquired, his voice firm. "You don't have to hide things anymore, remember? So just... Don't. Don't laugh it off, and don't... Just tell me you're hurting, Zelos."

Zelos' unfocused eyes grew watery at the boy's firm statements, but a soft, genuine smile flickered across his pained face. "You're... so damn mushy... sometimes, you know?" he murmured, his weak voice holding a warm, affectionate sound.

"I guess it's a 'bumpkin' thing," Lloyd retorted, a small smile growing on his lips as well.

"I think it's a... Lloyd Irving thing," Zelos whispered, his eyelids drooping, but that faint smile still graced his stained lips. "And I... wouldn't trade it... for anything," he weakly confessed, his eyelids slipping fully closed.

_... Zelos..._ Lloyd released an uneven breath, his smile wavering. _He's so..._ The teen's thoughts trailed, and he moved forward, placing a gentle kiss to the man's damp forehead. "I wouldn't trade my 'wimp' Zelos Wilder for anything, either," he gently teased, his voice a little unsteady, his cheeks warm.

"Y-yeah? That's... good to know," was the redhead's soft response, his head lowering, the shudders traversing his body increasing. He leaned his head against Lloyd's chest, his breaths sharp and shaking. "... Lloyd... I..."

Though the moment was reassuring, comforting, Lloyd knew that Zelos was growing weaker. He shouldn't be sitting up, and he... He just looked terrible. Completely and utterly terrible. "Zelos, I'm going to get the water. Need to clean you up again, and then we're laying back down, alright?" he quietly said, pulling the man back to take another look at his sweaty face.

Zelos merely gave a weak nod, his eyes remaining tightly closed.

"Alright. Here, lay down with Noishe. I'll be back in a sec," the brunet gently instructed, his focus drawing to the _dog_ still resting against Zelos' thigh. "Let him lay back, Noishe," he stated, raising an eyebrow at the animal. Noishe was definitely being clingy. _I guess I shouldn't be so surprised, right? Zelos teases him a lot, but still. They really like each other, so... it's not so weird for Noishe to be scared, right?_

Lloyd shoved his troubled contemplations away, focusing on getting Zelos situated. "There you go," he murmured, easing his companion's shaking frame onto the mat, into a lying position. "That okay?" he questioned, helping the man back onto his side.

Zelos gave another feeble nod, his shivering lips set in a pained grimace.

Yeah, didn't look like the guy had enough energy left to say much of anything for the moment. Lloyd wasn't surprised, but it wasn't exactly pleasant, regardless. He said nothing however, choosing to pull the blanket around that shaking frame, and then brushed his hand across a moist cheek.

After sure that Zelos was situated, Lloyd stood, another small frown settling across his lips. "Here, Noishe. You can lay with him until I get back," he forced the lighthearted statement, unable to pull his focus from Zelos' tightly closed eyes, his chattering teeth and shivering lips.

Noishe gave a stretch of his large frame, then settled down directly next to the ill young man, gently pressing against him. He released a soft yelp, brushing his head against the angel's hand.

The feverish Chosen released an uneven breath, and he moved closer to the animal, pressing his forehead into Noishe's torso, wrapping an arm about him.

Noishe whined in reply, his dark eyes moving to Lloyd.

_Noishe..._ A shiver traversed the teen's frame, his frown deepening. The animal's intent stare... Lloyd shook his head, clearing away the odd sensation of fear that had threatened to wash over him at the _dog's_ strangely somber expression.

The boy forced his focus away, drawing his attention down to the soiled bowl on the ground. He should dump that, in case Zelos needed it again. And... Perhaps he should get a cloth not only to clean his companion's face, but another to dampen and rest on his hot forehead. That would be soothing, right? It... Something, **anything** to ease that pained expression even a little.

Lloyd swallowed hard at the unease flooding his body, clenching his fists tightly by his sides. He was definitely getting too jittery. He just... he needed to calm down. Sure, it was awful, but. Zelos merely had a particularly bad flu or bug of some sort. Standing around worrying over it wasn't going to do any good.

So, with this decided, the young man set about on his newest tasks. He first took hold of the soiled 'puke bucket' as he had so aptly called it, carrying it a fair distance away from the campfire before dumping the contents. It made his own stomach turn a little, really. _Man, he's thrown up a lot..._ Yeah, best not to focus on _that_ too much.

He carried the now empty bowl back to his ailing companion's 'bedside,' resting it directly next to Zelos, within arm's reach. Well. Noishe was sort of in the way, but. Honestly? Lloyd seriously doubted Zelos had anything left to throw up at the moment anyway.

With this done, he turned back, in search of water and fresh cloths. He located these items quickly enough—digging haphazardly through his pack resulted in finding a full canteen and spare cloths. He grabbed the items, then briskly moved back to Zelos' side, carefully—albeit gracelessly—plopping down next to the man.

"Okay, Zel. You can rinse your mouth if you want, and we'll get the gunk off of you," he gently remarked, setting the canteen and cloths beside him to free his hands, then moving to caress the redhead's back.

Zelos weakly pulled himself away from Noishe, opening his murky blue eyes to meet Lloyd's gaze. He cast the teen a faint, shaking smile. "Y-yeah, okay. H-help me up a little?" he weakly questioned, a soft tint of uncertainty to his words.

"Of course." Lloyd nodded, moving to help Zelos into a sitting position. Once he was certain Zelos wasn't going to fall over on his face or anything, he shifted his focus to the _dog_ lying next to the man. "Noishe, you need to move. How's he supposed to rinse his mouth with you blocking the 'bucket,' huh?" he dryly remarked, raising an eyebrow at the animal.

Noishe whimpered, showing no sign whatsoever that he planned to move.

"... Fine, you can stay," Lloyd stated after a short staring contest with Noishe, releasing an exasperated sigh. He reached over the _dog_, grabbing the bowl. He'd just hold it for Zelos. Easy enough.

Though first he'd need to get the water. The brunet set the bowl down long enough to retrieve the canteen, opening the lid for Zelos before handing it to him. "Here, Zel." Now that his hands were free once more, he picked up the bowl again, holding it out for his lover. "You... you really should try to drink a little, too. You're going to get dehydrated if you don't get some fluids in you soon," the boy softly remarked.

"I... I know, I just... not sure I can keep it down," Zelos weakly confessed, his voice low, uneven.

"Try? Just a couple of sips?" Lloyd questioned hesitantly, his brown gaze set on the canteen held in his partner's shuddering hands. He didn't want to cause the man to get sick again, but at the same time... he was so feverish, and had already lost so much fluid...

Zelos gave a weak nod, his expression a little unsure. He raised the canteen to his lips however, taking a sip of water. He rinsed his mouth, then spit into the container held in Lloyd's right hand, a shaking grimace escaping him. He cast the canteen another unsure glance, but took a sip, this time swallowing. After a moment, he took another cautious sip, followed by a third.

"There you go," Lloyd gently encouraged. He kept the bowl raised though—just in case.

... Which turned out to be a good idea. Zelos let out a pained groan, his queasy expression intensifying. "Ah, man... nn-" His words abruptly ceased, and he lowered his head to the bowl, a weak gag escaping him. He promptly retched up the little water he had managed to swallow, along with a bit of bile. He dry heaved after this, his eyes watery and unfocused.

Yeah, encouraging his ill lover to drink apparently hadn't been the best idea. Lloyd sucked in an uneven breath, watching helplessly while Zelos dry heaved. He carefully placed a hand on the angel's quivering arm, continuing to hold the bowl close with his other. Not that anything more was produced from those harsh gags.

"I... Sorry, Zelos," he mumbled, his brown eyes sympathetic, guilty. _I shouldn't have made him, but I just..._ He just didn't want the man to become any worse off than he already was. But if he couldn't even manage to hold down a few sips of water? _Damn it, this... really sucks._

Zelos' gags ended after a few more painfully long moments, and his eyes tightly closed, an intense shudder racking his slender frame. "Hah... Ha... Guess... I should hold off... on the water... huh... hunny?" he breathlessly inquired, his shivering lips forming a slight wry smile. "Man, that's... the worst. Like... suffocating..." he murmured, his words slurred, broken by uneven breaths.

"Dry heaves are definitely the worst," Lloyd softly concurred, carefully stroking his companion's arm in a slow, soothing motion. "I'm sorry, Zel." Sure, it wasn't his fault the guy was sick, but... but it **was** his fault Zelos was stuck so far out, away from doctors, medicines, or even a warm bed. "I'm sorry."

Zelos' twitching eyelids slowly opened at the boy's apologies, a perplexed frown forming on his stained, shivering lips. "Lloyd, hunny... Why are you s-sorry? It's not like... this is your fault. You're the one... putting up with me," he pointedly retorted—or as pointedly as he could manage between shuddering, sharp breaths anyway.

Lloyd shook his head, a deep frown on his lips. "It might not be my fault, but I... If I had just brought the damn Rheaird, we... You should be home, in bed. Not out here." At this, the brunet cast a dark glare at the offending wilderness surrounding the two, an agitated sigh escaping him. Why had he never given it any thought, anyway? So far from help, on their own with no means of quick transportation? What if one of them were hurt? Or... Or... _One of us could die out here before making it back to help. I never thought about it like that, but I..._

"Lloyd. It's really not _that_ bad. I... I can... deal with the... sleeping on the ground and... all that. You're here... That's all that matters," Zelos softly remarked, drawing the boy's attention away from his self-deprecating thoughts.

"But still. What if-" Lloyd began, only to have Zelos weakly move to touch his cheek with shuddering fingers.

He playfully tapped the boy's cheek, casting him a small, wavering smile. "Stop... being a worrywart. It's not the end of the world. Just a pain, and... really gross," he stated, his weak voice holding a wry tint. "That... goes for you too, Noishe. You t-take after your owner too much, heh... Your current one, that is," he weakly joked, his voice growing increasingly slurred with each word spoken.

Noishe whimpered loudly, seemingly in response to the Tethe'allan Chosen's words.

Lloyd ignored the animal for the moment however, too focused on the short breaths and slurred words issued from his companion. How... How had he let this get turned around, anyway? Here the guy was, so sick that he couldn't even take a sip of water, yet he was wasting energy consoling Lloyd? How backwards was that? _Typical... Damn it, Zelos._ He gently moved to touch that shaking hand resting against his cheek, taking hold of it. He interlocked his fingers with Zelos', giving that moist hand a gentle squeeze. "It was still stupid of me," he stated, his voice matter-of-fact.

"W-well, hunny. You're... a hick kid... from the sticks. What do you... expect?" the redhead feebly bantered, his head drooping, the hand still clutching the container of water loosening, slipping a bit.

"Careful." Lloyd quickly set aside the now twice soiled bowl, then took the canteen from Zelos before it spilled. "Here. Zel. You wanna rinse again?" he cautiously inquired, eyeing the canteen with a small frown.

"Guess so, y-yeah," Zelos mumbled, his voice soft, fatigued.

"You're wearing yourself out worse trying to make me feel better, you know. Stop that," Lloyd gently instructed, carefully noting the man's increasingly drained, frail appearance. He practically looked like he was on the verge of fainting. This realization did nothing to ease Lloyd's worry, that was for certain. _Damn... damn it._

"Here, Zelos. Take a sip," the young brunet said, moving to again retrieve the bowl, holding it up for Zelos. He then carefully brought the canteen to the man's shivering lips, allowing him to take a small sip.

The redhead weakly swished the mouthful of water, then spit, a grimace on his damp face. He released a shaking sigh, his eyelids twitching closed once more. "T-thanks."

The teen frowned, but didn't bother to scold the man for his gratitude. He... he looked so frail. Lloyd simply gave an absentminded nod—despite the fact that Zelos' eyes were closed, unable to see this silent motion—and then placed the bowl aside, his focus never leaving that pained face. "Let's clean you up a little," he softly stated. Not only did Zelos have vomit staining his lips and chin, but his face was growing increasingly moist, beads of sweat forming on his flushed forehead. It... Lloyd wanted to rid of it, to wipe it away and...

He wanted his partner to feel better. Now.

This was an unreasonable wish of course, and the teen gave a faint shake of his head, clearing away that fresh surge of unease brought about by the angel's seemingly deteriorating condition. It wasn't surprising, after all. He'd allowed the man to sit up too long, to banter, to use too much of his fleeting energy.

"Here." Lloyd grasped one of the two cloths he had retrieved earlier, wetting it with a good splash of water before setting the canteen on the ground. He brought the soaked cloth to the ill Chosen's lips, carefully cleaning away the stains on his lips, chin, and the few specs on his neck. "Little better?" he murmured once completed, tossing the stained rag away from the makeshift bed, not even bothering to note where it landed.

"Yeah." Zelos' eyelids twitched, as if he were trying to force them open, though if this was the case, he failed. His head drooped further, his body shuddering as he leaned in on himself. "Nngh..."

"Come on, Zel. Lay down," Lloyd whispered, gently taking hold of that slender, shivering frame. He eased the man back, helping him into a full lying position on the mat. Once the redhead was situated, the teen sat back upright, reaching for the remaining cloth. He quickly retrieved this, and then the canteen, wetting the rag thoroughly with the rest of the container's contents. He set the now empty container down, drawing his attention back to his prone companion.

"Tell me if this feels better or worse, Zelos," Lloyd gently requested, bringing the cloth to the young man's red, sweaty face. He carefully wiped at the moisture in a slow, soothing motion.

"... F-feels good..." Zelos mumbled, his voice faint.

"Good."

He continued to carefully run the wet cloth along the Chosen's flushed face for a few minutes, hoping to ease that look of discomfort. This wasn't very successful, however, nor did it seem to do much for the fever. Still... It was all Lloyd knew to do for a fever. He had nothing else to control it, after all.

"Lloyd?" Zelos' soft, meek voice broke into the stillness that had settled over the camp, and Lloyd moved to take the man's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Yeah, Zelos?" he gently responded, lowering himself a little closer to his ailing lover, noting the redhead's shivering frown with one of his own. "Zel?"

"L-lay with me again? Please?" His whispered request was feeble, slurred and so... so very fatigued.

Lloyd's chest tightened painfully at just _how_ off Zelos' voice sounded. "Of course I will. Don't be stupid," he quickly stated, his voice a little uneven. He gently released his hold on the man's hand, moving to fold the damp cloth, resting it across Zelos' forehead. With this done, he then moved to lay next to the redhead, placing his hand on his cheek. "I'm right here, Zel."

Zelos let out a soft moan, his closed eyelids twitching. He weakly shifted, rolling onto his side, facing Lloyd. He began to press against the boy's chest, but paused, a troubled expression flickering across his moist face. "... Can I? I... won't puke on you... promise..." he mumbled, his voice soft and unsure.

Lloyd gave a blink of his eyes, the frown on his lips growing considerably. Why would he even feel the need to ask? Wordlessly, the young man pulled his so very ill partner close, wrapping both arms about his shuddering frame. The cloth slipped from Zelos' head, but that... It hadn't seemed to be helping the fever, anyway. "Zelos. I don't care if you do. Just. Try to rest, alright? Don't worry about anything but feeling better," he whispered into the man's ear, holding him close in a firm embrace.

Zelos let out a soft, pained moan, burrowing his head against Lloyd's chest, his arm weakly wrapping about the younger boy. "Ok-okay," he murmured, his body shuddering against Lloyd, his muscles tense and his breaths fast.

"And try to breathe, Zel. Slow down, okay? Just try." Lloyd found himself focusing again on just how uneven and quick his companion's breaths were coming, how hard his body was shaking. He gently ran a hand along the man's back, slow and steady. "Breathe. In and out, deep and slow. Come on, Zelos," he soothingly murmured, continuing that gentle massage to the Chosen's quaking back.

"... Hurts to breathe..." Zelos whispered against his companion's chest, his voice uneven. "It.. nn... really hurts, Lloyd..." he repeated, his breaths seeming to come only faster.

_Damn this._ Lloyd's troubled expression increased with each shuddering breath issued by the redhead, his heart pounding rapidly against his ribcage. "Your chest hurts that bad, Zel?" he questioned, his boyish voice holding an uncertain tint.

"... Y-yeah..." the redhead haltingly admitted, his hold on Lloyd tightening a bit.

"How's it hurt, Zelos? Feel like you need to cough or something? Or is it from throwing up so much?" he further questioned the man, his lips set in a deep, perplexed frown. It hurt to even breathe? That didn't sound like a good sign to the brunet. At all.

"... I... I'm not sure. Feels weird," Zelos mumbled, his slurred, weak voice unsure. "Just know it... hurts. Everything hurts," he added after a moment of shallow, sharp breaths, his tense body giving a violent shudder.

Lloyd carefully thought over the man's words for a moment, his focus intently set on listening to Zelos' short breaths. He didn't sound like he had any loose congestion at least, no rasping or crackling sounds. Just quick, pained gasps. Could it be aches brought about by the bug? Or had he irritated his chest with the repeated vomiting spells? He couldn't be sure, but. It was still worrying. "Does it hurt worse laying down? Did you feel better sitting up?" he gently questioned, unable to keep the concern and uncertainty from his voice.

"No... it's the same. I just... just being a wimp again..." the redhead faintly murmured, a slight tint of forced humor entering his shaky voice. "J-just... want to stay like this," he went on to mumble, his shuddering body pressing firmly against Lloyd, his grip around the boy again tightening.

He was practically clinging to Lloyd.

"Okay. You'll... you'll feel better soon." The Sylvarant teen took in a sharp breath of his own, but he gave a nod of his head, despite the increasingly urgent sense of unease washing over him. He was overreacting, being a 'worrywart bumpkin,' that was all. That had to be it. _Y-yeah..._ He still couldn't quite convince himself, regardless.

Noishe didn't appear too convinced either, judging by the soft whine issued at Lloyd's statement. The animal moved closer to the ailing redhead, positioning himself flush against the man's back. It was a gentle gesture from the animal, yet Lloyd wasn't sure if so much body-heat was good for the man's fever.

"Let me know if you get too hot. We'll kick Noishe off and get you another wet cloth or something, okay?" he softly remarked. With this said, he moved to place a gentle kiss to the top of his lover's head.  
"I... I can tell my skin is hot, but I'm sorta... freezing, hah..." Zelos mumbled in reply, his words a little hard to make out they were so soft and slurred.

"Yeah. I can 'sorta' tell," Lloyd stated, forcing a wry tenor. As hard as the guy was shivering? Yeah. It was pretty damn obvious. "Still. Don't want your fever getting any higher than it already is," he pointed out with a soft sigh. Maybe he shouldn't be holding Zelos so close, should be focusing on lowering his temperature, but... He really just didn't want to let the man go. Zelos' hold on him seemed so desperate.  
"S-stop worrying so much, huh, hunny? Just... I'll be okay. Just wanna... stay like this awhile..." the redhead mumbled, his words slow, somehow distant.

Lloyd released another sigh, and he laid his head against the Chosen's, his expression troubled. Zelos could claim he was just worrying too much all he wanted. It still didn't change the fact that his fever was definitely something to be concerned with; as was his inability to hold down even a drink of water. Not to mention the pain in his chest. Still, he wasn't about to argue with the guy wanting to be held. Zelos needed that comforting embrace, obviously. Judging by his tight hold, the way he was pressing against Lloyd? Yeah. He was hurting. A lot. _... What else can I do? I don't have any way to treat any of this, other than a wet cloth, but..._ That hadn't proved very helpful. What else could he do?

"Just try to rest, Zelos," he whispered, finding himself pressing his forehead against his companion a little more firmly. "Just rest," Lloyd repeated, gently caressing the man's shuddering back in a slow, firm manner.

"Hurts..." the Tethe'allan Chosen slurred, his voice meek and muffled.

"I know it does," Lloyd softly concurred, continuing that slow, steady massage. "Just rest, Zelos. It's going to be better soon." It somehow seemed a hollow reassurance. It was easy enough to say, but... It still didn't ease Zelos' suffering at the moment, did it? He was still terribly ill, in so much pain that he was literally clinging to Lloyd like a child. Being unable to do anything but hold his partner close?

Lloyd could barely stand it.

"Just... just rest, Zel. It's gonna be okay. You're going to be okay."

He would lay with the redhead for as long as it took, whispering soft reassurances and stroking that shuddering back until the angel's suffering eased. If it did.

It really seemed he had been right in his earlier assumption: this was truly going to be a long night.

* * *

**AN**: And there is chapter one. Chapter two should be up soon, so be on the lookout. Until then~.


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